Chinese expert criticizes Filipino FM’s claim that Japan-Philippines delimitation ‘nothing to do’ with China, warns move serves ulterior purposes beyond bilateral talks
A Chinese expert said Japan-Philippines maritime talks near Taiwan violate international law and cannot exclude China’s interests.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
A Chinese expert told Global Times that Japan and the Philippines are pushing maritime delimitation talks near Taiwan in a way that affects China, not just bilateral relations. The article says Beijing views the move as legally invalid and strategically aimed at limiting China’s maritime space.
Two countries, Japan and the Philippines, are drawing lines on a map in the sea near Taiwan. China says those lines also touch its own backyard, like two neighbors trying to split a yard without asking the third neighbor who uses it too.
Analysis
What happened
Global Times reports that Philippine Foreign Minister Maria Theresa Lazaro said maritime boundary talks with Japan are important for Philippine national defense and "have nothing to do" with China. The article says a Chinese expert rejected that framing, arguing the talks concern waters east of Taiwan and directly affect China’s interests.
China’s legal case
The expert, Ding Duo of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said the talks violate three principles: that a bilateral treaty should not create rights or obligations for a third state, that maritime delimitation should be equitable under UNCLOS, and that states with overlapping interests should exercise restraint and good faith. The article also quotes Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, who said on May 29 that China has an exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the area and that the Japan-Philippines talks are a serious violation of China’s maritime rights.
Broader concern
Beyond the boundary issue itself, the expert warned that the talks could be used to tighten security cooperation, military collaboration, and naval exercises, thereby narrowing China’s room to operate at sea east of Taiwan. The article says he also warned that the process could be linked with a "Taiwan independence" agenda.
Where this could go
The piece says China may respond not only through diplomacy but also through maritime law enforcement, patrols, and drills to show what it sees as its lawful rights. It also places the dispute in the context of growing Japan-Philippines defense cooperation, including possible Japanese defense exports to the Philippines, which the article says analysts view as carrying Cold War-style undertones.
Key points
- Global Times says a Chinese expert rejected the Philippine foreign minister’s claim that Japan-Philippines delimitation talks are unrelated to China.
- The article says the disputed area is east of Taiwan and involves China’s claimed maritime rights.
- Ding Duo argued the talks conflict with treaty law, UNCLOS, and the duty of restraint and good faith.
- China’s foreign ministry is quoted as calling the talks illegal, null and void, and a serious violation of China’s interests.
- The article warns the talks may support wider security and military cooperation between Japan and the Philippines.
If the dispute is handled through diplomacy, the countries could at least clarify their positions without escalating the standoff. The article also suggests China would continue using law enforcement and patrols to assert its claims in a routine way rather than through open confrontation.
If Japan and the Philippines keep moving ahead, China may deepen protests and increase maritime patrols and drills in response. The article warns the issue could spill into broader security and military cooperation, which would make the waters east of Taiwan more contested.
